Tap for steam, water, or gas, &amp;c.



PATENTED JULY 24, 1906.

APPLICATION FILED JULY14.1905.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OF IOE.

JOSEPH BOOTH BUTTERFIELD, OF SCARBOROUGH, ENGLAND.

' TAP FOR STEAM, WATER, OR GAS, a...

" Patented July 24, 1906.

Application filed July 14, 1905. Serial No. 269,704.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH BOOTH BUT- TERFIELD, a subject of'the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Louieville, Weaponness Valley, Scarborough, in the county of York, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Taps for Steam, Water, or Gas or other Liquids or Fluids, ofwhich the following is a which a fixed ring or washer divides the specification.

This invention relates to improvements in plug-taps for steam, water, or gas or other liquids or fluids.

The object of the invention is the producspring from the elastic packing, with a gland to compress the elastic packing; Fig. 4, a

part-sectional elevation of the upper portion of a tap in which a washer is substituted for the antifrictional bearing; Fig. 5, a sectional elevation of a tap with the spring and anticap or cover constructed as follows: To the frictional bearing applied atthe base of the plug.

v Like parts in all the views are marked with similar characters of reference.

a is the valve-casing of the tap, which is made of any suitable metal, such as brass or cast-iron, and it is provided with the usual inlet and outlet orifices b and 0, arranged, say, on opposite sides-of the plug d. The plug d (with a suitable passage 6 formed therein) is made conical and is shown at Fig. 1 with its larger end at the top from which rises a vertical-stem f, secured and made, say, steamtight by an elastic packing and a spring and top of the v alve-casing a is screwed or other Wise secured a cover g, provided with a projecting boss it, having a central hole of lar er diameter than that of the vertical stem, "of the plug. -To the said bos's h is screwed or otherwise attached a cap or cover '5, having a central holein which the vertical stem f the plug turns freely. In the top of the plug d is formed a horizontal annular recess 1', in

which are placed a number of metal balls or spheres 7c to form an antifrictional bearing,

as shown at Figs. 1 and 3, or a washer 2 may be used in place thereof, as shown at Fig. 4. Upon the balls is placed ametal washer Z, having an elastic packing m and a second metal washer n above it. coiled spring 0 is inserted between the upper surface of the second washer n and the under surface of a third metal washer p. On screwing down the cap 13 the washers, spring, and elastic packing are compressed upon the metal balls, and the said packing is pressed A helical or other against the periphery of the vertical stem f for forming, say, a steam-ti ht joint. A

space q is provided between t e top of the plug (1 and the under surface of the firstnamed cover g.

The lower and small end of the conical 'plug dis arranged to Work upon a suitable orm of seating-such as, for example, say, the lower edge of the plug d may be beveled as at c, Fig. 1, and made to work against a correspondingly-inclined seatin 1 formedwithin the casing at a suitable distance from the bottom of the centraltapering hole the casing, 01', as at Fig. 3, a flat surface-ring 1' may be arranged to project from the bottom of the tapering central hole in the casin A central set-screw 8, provided with a 100 -nut t, is passed throu h the bottom of the casing and made to wor a ainst the bottom of the plug (1, and it is emp oyed for preventing any movement of the plug in a vertical direction. In, say, opposite points, or at more than two points of the plug-d, are formed in its periphery vertical recesses u of suitable width and depth. Two recesses u are shown in the drawings. Each recess a extends the full length of the conical portion of the plug or above and below the opening e, as shown, say, at Fig.

1, and the said'recesses are employed for.

the purpose of allowing, say, the steam to pass freely up and down and onto the top (and, if so desired, onto the bottom as well) of l the plug whenever the top is-open for the purpose of preventin as far as possible any sudden or undue an unequal expansion of the plug and the casing taking place.

At Fig. 4 the upper portion of a tap and ts plug is shown in which the sprmg 0 1s dispensed with. In this arrangement a washer zis substituted for the antifrictional balls k and enters the recess 7' formed in the top of the plug (1. The washer z rojects above the plug d, and it is compresse bythe elastic or other packing, such as m, onto the bottom of the recess j by the cover i pressing the gland w downward. The central hole in the cover 9 in this case is made of two diameters. When the gland w is forced downward by the cover i, the packingm will be compressed between the gland w and washer 2, thus causing the packing to expand until it fills the larger diameter. The shoulder formed by the junction of the two diameters of the central hole aids in keeping the washer 2 within the recess j and the plug d is retained upon its seating 12.

In some cases it may be found advisable to dispense with the beveled edge 12 of the plug (1 and inclined seating 1 (shown at Fig. l) and to employ the arrangement shown at Fig. 3 in place thereof-that is to say, a flat surface ring 1" is made to project from the bottom of the tapering central hole in the casing a. The bottom of the plug (1 is made to work against the upper face of the said seating. This permits of the bottom of the plug being at a suitable distance from the bottom of the said hole, whereby a cavity is formed which is in communication with the vertical recesses u. as shown at Fig. 3, is employed in addition to the herein-described spring 0. In the arrangement shown at Fig. 3, an elastic packing m is inserted between the gland w and an in nor ring 4 which forms part of the cover 9 and is made to project inward. The ring 4 separates the spring 0 from the elastic packing m. The gland w is pressed down upon the elastic packing m by the inner surface of the cover.

When it is desired to use a plug with the larger end of same downward, as at Fig. 5, then the chamfered edge '2) and the seating against which it works is transferred from the base'to the top of the casing and the chamfered edge or shoulder 42 fits tightly against its seating. At Fig. 5 the gland w of ordinary construction is shown in place of the washer In this arrangement of plug the covers 9 and i, (the latter without a central hole,) washers Z, n, and p, boss 71 spring 0, elastic packing m, and balls 7r may be applied to the base of the casing, as shown. The cover 9 is screwed onto a boX ac, provided for its reception at the base of the casing ainstead of at its top, as at Fig. 1, or the cover 'i may be dispensed with, in which case the cover g will be provided with a solid base against which the spring 0 will work. When this is done, the stem f will be arranged to project from the smallest diameter of the plug and also from its largest diameter, as shown at Fig. 5.

Taps constructed according to this invention are thoroughly steam, water, or gas tight, and yet the spindle and plug are always free to rotate when opening and closing the valve. The above-described arrangement makes a .stem f for retaining the plug Also in some cases an ordinary gland w, I

perfectly tight valve, allowing neither steam, water, nor gas under pressure to pass or get beyond the elastic packing m.

Taps constructed as herein described may be readily fitted together by placing the plug (1 within the central tapering hole of the easing a with its bottom impinging upon the seating 1, Fig. 1, or r, Fig. 3. The antifrictional balls 7c having been placed within the annular recess j of the plug, the cover 9 is screwed onto the top of the casing, and the washer Z is then placed upon stem f until its under surface rests upon the antifrictional balls. Afterward the elastic packing m, the second washer n, helical spring 0, and the third washer p are placed upon the stern f and within the central hole of boss it When this has been done, the cap i is screwed onto the boss 7t and in so doing compresses the just-named spring arranged around the (1 upon. its seating and also forming a tight joint. same time the plug d is free to be rotated. When the plug is turned so that its horizontal passage e completes the communication between inlet 6 and outlet 0, the steam or other fluid. is free to pass down and up the vertical recesses a under the plug (Z and also onto its top for keeping the casing at an even temperature, and thereby preventing jamming should any sudden or undue or unequal expansion occur.

The same results are obtained by the arrangement shown at Fig. 3, where the central hole of the boss h is made of varying diameters and with a fixed internal ring y. This necessitates the parts being put together as follows: The washer Z and spring 0 having been placed within the lower portion of the said central hole of the plug it and the stem f threaded through it, the cover 9 is then screwed onto the top of the casing a, which by the compression of the spring 0 presses and retains the plug (1 tightly against its seat. The elastic packing m and gland w are then placed in the portion of the central hole of the boss it above the ring y and around the spindle On the cap i being screwed onto the boss 7b the gland will be depressed, which causes the elastic packing m to enter the larger diameter of the central hole in the boss and at the same time to be pressed against the stem f for forming a tight joint.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination in a tap of a casing having inlet and outlet orifices, and provided with a central tapering hole with which said orifices communicate, such casing also having a seating above the bottom of the tapering hole, a cap adapted to be screwed onto the top of said casing, said cap having a central recess, a cover with a central hole adapted to be secured upon said cap, a tapering At the plug having a horizontal passage therein, ver- 1 o ticalrecessesin its periphery,- and an annutween the top of the upper washer and the lar' groove in its tea, a stem for operatin cover of the said cap, as and for-the purposes purposes projecting omits top and arrange set forth.

to pass throu h and above the said cap and In testimony whereof I have signed my 21);;

.5 its cover, an .m'eans described 'for keeping name to this specification in the presence of the pugdgwnu onitssaaafi' ,comprisicillg' a two subscribing witnesses. v num er -0 ant' 'ctiona a s arran e in said annular groove,'washers mounte upon t JOSEPH BOOTH BUTTERFIEIDf the said stem, one of which'rests upon said. Witnesses: 1 1 1o antifrictional balls, with an elastic packing WILLIAM SADLER,

' between them, and a spring interposed be- ANNIE, PARK. 

